Origins
by Al Wolfskill
Summary: Since the first day she tried to attack him, he fell in love with her. Or is it love? Korra must discover her own tangled feelings, while discovering a mess of Tahno's as well. And not only that, but a very large secret of his: Tahno has a very humble past, yet he chooses to lead others to believe it doesn't exist. Who exactly is he, and why has he chosen to fall for her? T for now
1. An Easy Afternoon

A curvaceous body, one that was well-defined not only by her actual body shape, but by her muscular build as well. Her body wasn't the only appealing part of her either. She had a nice face, with gorgeous blue eyes, but it was almost always soiled by a frown or a determined look. Although the face mattered little in making a girl "appealing," it was always a nice addition.

Tahno bit his lip in frustration as he watched the avatar train with her fellow teammates. It wasn't often he decided to watch his competition, Ming had reminded him of that, but Shaozu quickly caught on and hushed him. It wasn't just his sizing up of the competition; he wanted more of a chance to observe the strange woman that was the avatar.

The way she walked was enough to cause him shivers, her voice enough to send his head into a throbbing headache due to irritation, her stare enough to make him want to hit her with a flurry of water she would easily bend away. And yet, he stayed up in the windowsill, captivated by her very essence. He alternated between staring at her, thinking about her, and occasionally looking at the way the other two moved so he could inform Ming and Shaozu.

But mainly, he stared at her, taking in every inch of her with his eyes, wanting her very image permanently burned into his mind so he'd be able to look at her whenever he wished. She was overwhelming, stubborn, and yet so damn attractive.

So much like himself…

Ever since he'd met Korra at the seaweed noodlery, no other women held his interest anymore. Shaozu had teased him endlessly about that fact, and as usual, Ming never caught on. That one was too focused on his own women to look over Tahno's.

"_You've gotten very quiet, Tahno. That's not normal. Could it be you're scared about the championship?" Shaozu had asked. Tahno had quickly shushed him, but hadn't bothered to reply. It wasn't the championship that had him doubled over in pain… It was Korra, and he knew it. One of the girls that had been around them went up to him and gently pulled her lips against his and proceeded to lower her head below his chin. Tahno pushed her away and stood up, storming out of the noodlery. It was that girl! She was infiltrating his mind so much that even other women weren't enough. Was this attraction or just sexual tension?_

It was the team's earthbender that met his eyes and he proceeded to point out Tahno's presence to them all. "What are you doing here, pretty boy?" the avatar yelled. That's it for my being here, he thought, pulling himself from the window. "Just watching you, forging strategies… Watching _you_," he murmured, walking down the stairs. He made sure to avoid the other two's eyes, so Korra would know he was talking specifically to her. "My offer still stands, uh-vatar. If you're still up to know how a real pro-bender does it, come to Harmony Tower tonight." With that said, he'd walked away, trying to keep up a "cool" image.

She'd come, right? Had he not been demanding enough? It wasn't like it mattered to him whether she went or not… Oh, he was he trying to fool. He desperately wanted the avatar to take up his offer, but then again, he hadn't exactly proposed it in the best way possible. And there were those two teammates, male, might he add… Would they complicate things, as far as any relationship with her would… Why was he thinking this? There was no way two insignificant benders would decide for the avatar. She was free to do as she wished. Tahno stopped in his tracks and looked back down the hallway to where the gym was. Where _she_ was.

He turned slightly and stopped himself. What was he supposed to say if he were to go back? "Avatar, I'll make you dreams come true?" Before he'd even realized it, he'd said it aloud, and he had to quickly check around him to see if anyone overheard. No one was in the hallway… A sigh of relief escaped his lips and he gingerly tossed aside his bangs. Even if she were to hear that, what would a woman like her do? There was no way she'd throw herself into his arms and declare that her feelings were exactly the same. After all, their first meeting hadn't exactly been a pleasant one.

Tahno crept along the walls and peered into the gym once more. The brothers had left, yet the avatar was still in there, practicing her stances, aiming her fury at… Was that a poster of him? As a water jet flew right into his poster-self's left eye, Tahno felt a slight pain in his chest. Did she abhor his very being? Great…

"Hey, Korra, you aren't thinking of going are you? If you hit him, we'll get disqualified and…" "Bolin, I know. Do you really think I'm foolish enough to cave in?" she interrupted. Envy… That was what Tahno felt when he heard that boy's name come from her voice. She'd never once said his name, and from what he could hear, she probably never would. He'd never said her name aloud either, but at least he knew the way he would say it.

Just saying her name proved to be a marvel, a strange sensation as he felt his own tongue touch the roof of his mouth when he pronounced it. She was a marvel all on her own, without the added wonder of being the mightiest being alive. "Korra," he whispered to himself.

He heard as the two bantered, (much like a married couple, he noted) and dismissed each other with single word responses (like a pair of lovers, he too noted). Tahno watched from behind the door as the younger brother slipped away from the avatar and climbed up into the attic. Who knew what on earth he was going to do up there…

Tahno made his approach then, walking in suavely, silently so as not to startle the young woman. "Uh-vatar… Have you decided to accept my offer?" he asked tentatively, letting each word settle into the air before speaking once more. She glared at him, "What are you still doing here? And no, I'm not accepting anything of yours. Just leave before your hideous personality rubs off." Tahno winced. Hideous personality? She was surely one to talk.

She was just there, in front of him. She was so close to him, easy to grasp… Tahno pulled her close to him and pressed his lips against hers, wanting nothing more than to see if what he felt was merely physical attraction or something else.

Her reaction didn't surprise him. She pushed him away and threw a fist near his face. He'd received chills from just contact with her; he couldn't help but imagine what he would feel with a different kind of contact. Tahno dodged her fist and gave a sly smile as he watched her face turn a slight shade of red. Could his feelings be returned or was he hoping for too much? "I couldn't help myself, uh-vatar. You compel everyone to do things they shouldn't, you kno…"

Tahno was interrupted by Korra's throwing of herself upon him, leaving them both as one crumpled heap on the floor.

But, oh no, this wasn't an attack of love as he'd hoped. Her eyes burned with the intense desire to _kill_. He could report this, get her team disqualified, but exactly what good would that do? All it would achieve would be getting her to hate him even more. So, when she did not hit him, it came to a Tahno as a great surprise.

Could it be he'd stolen her first kiss? The thought sent him into a flurry of stifled chuckles he tried to suppress. Certainly someone like the avatar… But no, hadn't she been sheltered her whole life by the White Lotus, as had been mentioned in the rumors going around the city?

The avatar stood up and walked away, fists clenched. She seemed extremely angry, _was_ extremely angry. "It's your own fault, you know. You got inside my head, ran circles all around it until I could no longer think about anything or anyone… but you, Korra," he whispered, letting her name roll of his tongue.

She turned to face him, the anger in her eyes still prevalent. "You're going down, pretty boy. Just watch," she threatened.

Those were the last words she spoke to him before turning away from him and leaving the gym. It was typical girl behavior to walk off. Did she expect him to follow, or was she really trying to distance herself? Tahno let her go. He'd told her what he wanted to, but there was still the slight possibility she would try and meet him at Harmony Tower, no matter how slight it was. Tahno slicked back his hair and walked out of the gym, towards the direction opposite the avatar had taken.

He pulled out the keys to his Cabbage Car, turned on the engine, and drove home. It was fun to pull on a mask and have people believe he was some extravagant and over-the-top person. But as soon as he drove into his hometown's property, he was back to being Tahno, Kumak's boy. People in the Dragon Flats borough were so used to his presence they still called him as such. The more run-down part had been his home growing up but now his father and he lived in a single roomed apartment, right above another family's house. "I'm home now," he spoke as he entered the room. His father lay asleep on the small cot Tahno had made him three years ago.

Their economic situation was bad. Tahno's father had lost his right limbs and could no longer bend. His mother had abandoned his father after the incident and had refused to take along the child. She had believed him ill, since he'd been born so pale. She'd believed he would die quickly and had refused to take the responsibility. Ming, the Wolf Bats' earthbender, had befriended Tahno after the incident at the lightning factories, and they'd formed a team with Tahno's fellow Dragon Flats resident, Shaozu. Ming provided all the money needed for the tournaments, but refused to take all the winnings. He'd grown to be invaluable, whereas Ming or Tahno could be replaced.

Lingering in the past was a horrid thing to do. Tahno pulled back his bangs and tucked them behind his ear as he prepared himself for work. The family below them owned a small tea shop, and he helped out enough to keep the rent for the small room. Ming had offered various times to help them move away, but Tahno's own pride was too much. If he were to help his father by using someone else's money… It just wouldn't be the same.

Tahno sighed and pulled the moth-eaten blanket over his father's shoulders. He made note to get a new one as soon as possible while pulling an apron over his head. He tied it at the back and walked downstairs, trying to forget about Korra for just a few hours before he rushed out to Harmony Tower to see if she would come.

* * *

_What the hell is this, eh? Where's the other stuff you promised?  
Sorry... I started rewatching this series, and I couldn't stop myself from pairing Korra with every single person... And not even just people. But I have to say, I love Korra and Tahno. For some reason I can just picture him coming from very humble backgrounds and managing to put on a facade that he's some kind of awesome-tastic rich boy... Anyways, this was meant to be a one-shot, but I think it would be better as a two-shot or so. I promise to go back to the other story I'm working on as soon as I get back in my country.  
Thanks for reading and putting up with my... fairly out-of-character Korra and Tahno!_


	2. The Day Before the End

"Kumak's boy? Is that really you? Still showing your face around here even though you're all high and mighty now?" teased Amari, a regular at the tea shop. Tahno gave a weak smile and picked up a tray of hot tea, bringing it over to her. "Wish me luck?" he said, with a cocky wink. She snatched her tea from the tray, unbalancing it and causing Tahno to readjust it. With a smile that rivaled his own in confidence she replied, "No way. Win on sheer talent."

Tahno laughed, adding some sugar to her tea, like he knew she liked it. Despite the fact that he was four years her senior, they'd gotten along fairly well. He'd sparred against her when they were younger, before Tahno had gone on to pro-bending.

Comments buzzed all around and people called him over to give him a pat on the back. "Congratulations," they said. "Good luck," they said. It was a cheerful atmosphere and it was helping much more than he would have imagined in forgetting about _her_ for just a few hours. People from around the shop laughed and Tahno found himself remembering why he'd turned down Ming's offer of helping him and his father move out.

This was home. These people were the ones he'd grown up with, and he truly enjoyed seeing their faces. If any of his rivals from the arena were to say him the way he was… What would they think? Most feared and/or respected him. Seeing him in a cheery and familial environment would be strange for everyone, but to Tahno, this was the best way to live.

The door opened rather slowly and Tahno saw his teammate, Shaozu, enter with a big smile. "I knew I'd find you here," he said, walking up slowly to him. They exchanged a pat on the back and Tahno brought over a tray of imported leechi nuts. He signaled Kuro, the owner of the small shop, and sat down with Shaozu on the opposite side.

"So? What did you find out?" Shaozu said in an antsy tone, "What's the firebender like? Is he mainly offensive, does he tend to step to the right or left?"

Tahno signed for him to slow down and whispered, "You know, I don't think we're going to need to know their strategies or anything like that. See, Ming's father is a friend of the referee that's going to at our match, and Ming slipped him a few yuans to make sure we can do whatever. Either way, we'll win. Imagine coming back here and seeing we beat the avatar!"

Shaozu gave a rather wicked smile, "Just imagine what they'll say on the news! 'White Falls Wolfbats stronger than even the avatar!' How amazing would that be? Then we can prove to all these hopeless people that there's something out there for even people like us!"

The two men smiled and nodded at each other. It was an amazing ploy of course, to manage to show, even those who believed all was lost, there was something out there for everyone. Kuro whistled and Tahno stood up, "So don't worry about the championship. Thank Korra for me if you see him today."

"Will do."

With that said, Shaozu walked out of the tea shop, feeling even more confident than he had before. Wait… Had Tahno said to thank _Korra_? Shaozu marched back into the shop and dragged Tahno out by the ear.

"What? I already told you all I know," he grimaced, rubbing his ear.

Shaozu crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, "You said to thank Korra. It was Ming that pulled the strings for us, right? I'd hate to know that she's going to go easy on us because you… _convinced _her."

Tahno shivered. Convincing the avatar… There was a challenge he'd never want to face. Especially of just letting her rivals win. There was no possibility of that now was there? "She has nothing to do with this. I was thinking of Kuro and my mouth said her name. It was an accident is all," he said, trying to walk back into the store.

Shaozu shrugged it off. "It's not wise to get emotional with your rival, Tahno. Watch what you're doing, or you'll ruin the championship for us," he warned Tahno's back.

Kuro let Tahno go upstairs early and leave work, knowing that the champion would need a good night's rest. Little did he know, Tahno did _not_ want to sleep. He wanted to see that well-built woman with an amusing attitude. Tahno tossed the apron onto the table and heard his father call out to him.

"Tahno."

He took cautious steps towards his father. The old man tended to talk in his sleep, and this could be one of those times. Tahno did not want to wake his father up and have to explain why he had left work early for "sleep" and was going out. Training? He'd used that excuse last week, and his father knew pretty well on the Wolfbats' ways of winning.

An aged hand reached for Tahno's shoulder and the young man looked at the old with an endearing smile, "Yes?" Kumak took a deep breath and patted his son's shoulder, "You're going to make me very proud again. To think you're my son. Me, who is useless and can't bend any more. I've become a burden to you son."

"No! You're not a burden, dad. I come back here to you because I want to. What other family do I have? Family is the one thing in this life that can't be replaced, dad. I'm not letting you go until I have to. Understand? Never think of yourself as a burden," Tahno whispered back, slightly angered.

A burden? This was the man who had helped give him life! How on earth could he be a burden?

"Tahno, do you remember when you were little? We used to open this door and play with the rain," the old man said dreamily.

A slight nod of the head confirmed that Tahno was listening.

"I want you to play with the rain in front of my eyes again," he said, closing his eyes slightly.

"But dad, it's not rai…" Tahno held back his comment and opened the window. His father's eyes were poor, and the lack of rain didn't mean lack of _water_. If he could at least pretend it was raining… Tahno waterbent the water from the puddles on the street from the night before and shaped them in front of his father's eyes.

First, they seemed to amuse the old man, but his smile soon faded. "Tahno… It's not raining is it?" he asked. Tahno sighed and sent the water back to where he'd found it. "I can't hear the raindrops on the tin roof. There's no rain…"

With that small conversation, Kumak drifted back into a sleep. That was all he thought himself good for… Of course he listened into the pro-bending matches whenever his son played, but sleeping, listening, and eating were all he believed himself good for. Tahno looked at his old man with sorrowful eyes. Would he ever end up like his old man: Old, weak, and thinking so poorly of himself?

Tahno took his cabbage car keys from the table and walked outside soundlessly, closing the door as slowly as possible so it wouldn't creak. Tahno climbed out the window and slid down the roof. If Kuro knew he was sneaking off instead of working! A sly smile crept onto Tahno's face as he turned on his car and drove toward Harmony Tower.

Had he even specified a time? He'd just said for her to meet him that night, hadn't he? Boy, did he feel a little ridiculous now… What if she'd been there earlier and he hadn't? Then again, what made him believe she was actually going to show up after their last encounter? Didn't girls normally go for that kind of behavior? Tahno took a deep breath and eyed the streets of Republic City.

He drove past the statue of Fire Lord Zuko, where all the street urchins roamed around, begging for money. Could that have been him? Tahno didn't give the place a second look and he kept his mind solely focused on getting to Harmony Tower, trying to control Korra with his mind to arrive at the same time he did.

He felt nauseous as soon as he saw the tower. Why had he told her to meet him at this place? This was where couples went to, just to have a place to suck face… Tahno's face turned red as he realized it was probably his subconscious that had pulled this place up. It made sense though… He'd invited her to the romantic rendezvous, then right after… He'd kissed her.

Tahno let this sink in for the first time. He'd _kissed_ the avatar. Wasn't that technically like kissing over a hundred lives, both women _and_ men? His nausea grew intolerable inside of the small car. He'd made sure to park far away from the tower so no one would see him climbing out of his small, pathetic car. He was two people: the Wolfbat Tahno, and Tahno, Kumak's boy. Those that knew him as Wolfbat Tahno didn't need to know his other self.

A fairly long walk behind him, Tahno found himself looked right up the tower's side. Right over the edge, he could see two people swapping spit. He'd never really noticed how much he was grossed out by that whole concept. People eyed him, and he remembered where he was, who he was supposed to be. He threw his shoulders back in a haughty style and gave a cocky smile to a group of girls. They instantly swooned over to him, and he found himself in the company of four fairly attractive girls.

While he was waiting for Korra…

Other girls.

He'd just committed a mistake hadn't he? Tahno ended whatever conversation they thought they'd been having with him as soon as he saw Naga, Korra's polar bear-dog, and hurried off to the tower's base and leaned on the leg. He needed to look cool, presentable, and overall alluring if he was ever to get to the avatar's heart.

But it wasn't Korra on the giant creature. It was the firebender… What was his name? Bato? Nato? Something with those vowels… Tahno now fixed his posture so that instead of his typical "sexiness," he now gave off a more intimidating aura. What he wondered, though, was why the firebender had shown up instead of Korra. And on her beast as well!

Mako quickly spotted Tahno, the crowd of admirers had quickly grown and given away his location, and he marched towards him, tugging at his scarf. It was an ugly thing… Quite a strange shade of red too.

"Wolfbat, what's the big idea?" he called out. Tahno could sense the irritation in his voice. It sent a shiver of anticipation through the Wolfbat's spine. If this was what he was like _outside_ the ring, he'd be easy enough to get rid of with some simple put-downs. "Korra, what have you done to yourself? You look hideous," Tahno managed to retort with a smirk.

Tahno could see the firebender's hands ball into fists, loosen, and then once more. He was truly resisting the urge to punch him wasn't he? This would be fun. The Wolfbats could still win, without having to fight! Sure, he'd tackled Korra, but that wasn't an attack. People gathered around as soon as they saw that there would be two rivals breathing the same air, shouting at each other. Well, the argument will be more one-sided, Tahno thought. If Korra wasn't going to show up, what was the point of staying much longer?

With that in his mind, he let the firebender rant without saying so much as a sigh. However, when the firebender paused after a while, Tahno eyed him and said without the slightest emotion, "Done yet?"

This threw the firebender into a fit, but Tahno wasn't going to stick around. He walked away from Harmony Tower, thoroughly disappointed in the avatar. He just wasn't going to understand that woman was he? All the girls he'd treated like that had flocked to him quite quickly…

"_If one day, you find a girl that you have to chase to the ends of the earth, remember Tahno, it means she's worth it. The girl you want will always be worth the chase."_

"Yes dad," Tahno whispered to himself as he got into his car. He drove to the pro-bending arena for a bit to stare at the arena. It really was a remarkable place. To him, it symbolized improvement, achievement, pride, and represented who he was.

Who would he be if he hadn't gotten to where he was? Tahno was about to drive off until he saw the avatar's shape in the shadows. She was looking over the Air Temple Island. That's right… She lived there. Tahno sighed. She lived in a world so far away from his, a reality so distant from his, and there was no hope for them was there? The chase… "Right dad. It took you how long to get that woman, and she ended up dumping you with this kid," he remarked sarcastically to himself.

Tahno turned on the car and drove home, his mind completely void of any thoughts, his heart of feelings. Once he got to the Dragon Flats Borough, he parked the car and climbed back up a few rooftops and in through the window. The door was unlocked and Tahno stepped through. He could have sworn he saw his father smile.

He walked closer to his old man and returned the smile, but the old man talked in his sleep. "Curse him… like me," he grunted. Tahno took a step back. Was he talking about him? What was he dreaming? Tahno took a deep breath and walked over to the couch, taking a seat.

Curse him… What on earth could that mean?

As if the worries of the championship tomorrow weren't enough, his father's words haunted him, enough so that he wasn't able to get a wink of sleep.

* * *

_Yay for foreshadowing! If you already watched the series, you know what happens to my poor Tahno. Anyways, thanks for reading this chapter! And thank you for following, favoriting, and reviewing. It's you guys that made me want to update this sooner than I planned. Thank you for your support, because with each bit of support, I improve as a writer. So thank you! And yes, this was supposed to be a two-shot, but I actually like what I'm writing, which is a first, so I want to stretch it out a bit XD_


	3. Watery Images

Tahno couldn't sleep. The excitement from the upcoming match was enough for him to be too excited to sleep, but his father's words… They just permanently echoed in his mind.

"_Curse him like me."_

His father could have been talking about anyone, or to anyone so why did it concern him? Well, he had known his father to be a bit… selfish at times. But one that tries to raise a child on their own, no help whatsoever, can't exactly be unselfish. Tahno lay on the couch of the one room apartment, practically feeling the ant-roaches crawl around the furniture. He could hear them too…

It was one of the drawbacks of refusing Ming's help with money, but it allowed him to stay near the place he grew up in, the people, the very essence of the Dragon Flats inhabitants was in his way of speaking, at least, when he wasn't in front of an adoring public.

He sat straight up, like a mummy being awoken after millennia, and looked over at his father. "What are you hiding old man?" he whispered to himself. Tahno bent down to look at his father's face in the dark, his knees cracking a bit. That used to be enough noise to wake his father up, but times passed, and he weakened with age.

"_As you appear, I appeared. Believe it or not Tahno, you don't get your hair from your mother you know?"_

No, he thought. The ability to cheat and lie and steal is what I got from that woman, that traitor that didn't even bother to name her own son. Tahno looked at his father's face. His words… Tahno felt like they were meant for him, like he was damning his own son. But why?

His father had always said that he was proud of having a pro-bender son, of being able to have his bending live through his son, and yet… Tahno took a deep breath. What if what he'd said wasn't meant for him? Yes, that made more sense, much more sense. Why would a parent want their child to suffer the same fate as them? Besides, what on earth had his father been cursed with? Bad luck with women?

Tahno thought back to Korra. "I certainly inherited that, dad," he said, slightly chuckling to himself. So yes, in a sense, he had been cursed? Could that be it? Tahno shrugged it off. Why was he getting so worked up about something his old man had said in his sleep? He said tons of crazy things before! Why was this any different?

He could feel it.

That's not possible! Tahno took a step back and went downstairs. It was late, the tea shop had closed, and it had started to rain. It seemed like it would rain whenever his father wished. This wasn't the first time it had happened, but a tiny voice in the back of his mind told him it would be the last.

Tahno sat down at one of the tables that faced the window. He watched as the lightning struck down and the thunder made the windows crackle in their sills. It was an enjoyable time. A thunderstorm always brought him peace of mind, especially when the droplets of water splashed against the windows. He played with them, making some defy gravity by going upwards, and some defy all laws of physics by having them fly off from the glass and back up into the clouds. It was a pointless way of entertaining himself, but if the equalists were to pass by, they wouldn't see any actual bending, only scattered droplets.

That reminded him. This growing group of so-called equalists had become a pretty big deal hadn't it? Tahno hadn't paid much attention to them since he thought something as absurd as a rebellion against benders would blow over soon enough. But it hadn't. In fact, with each passing day, the rebellion grew stronger, and people like he and his father were constantly targeted by any of the non-bender equalists that lived in the Dragon Flats. For no other reason than that, Tahno would stay in his hometown.

But things were getting dangerous, showing his face after the first time he'd won the championship had been thrilling. Everyone congratulated the boy they thought would never amount to anything, the cripple's son. The second time, it was still thrilling, but he received more resentment from others than before. He didn't dare imagine what would happen after they won this one.

That was how sure Tahno was of winning. He didn't even consider the possibility that the Wolfbats would lose. After all, Ming had practically secured their win either way. Tahno sighed. He remembered looking out the windows, seeing people walking around outside after dark. Nowadays, the streets were dangerous. There were too many equalists out there. It wasn't safe for anyone…

Tahno leaned his head against the wall and started humming to himself, enjoying the vibrations in his throat. This had been the one good thing he had inherited from the traitor. He knew. Kumak couldn't hold a note to save his life.

"Tahno? What are you doing down here?" a familiar voice asked from the doorway. The first name that came to his mind was Korra, but he quickly pushed it away. Korra didn't know where he lived, and she never would if he could avoid it.

"Amari… Why are you up?" Tahno asked, his eyes still closed and head against the wall.

"I thought I heard noises downstairs. That tune… I've heard it before," she said pensively, taking a seat in front of Tahno.

Had she? "Maybe I heard it somewhere. I just thought they were random notes," he said, trying to avoid the subject. After a small while of silence, save for the constant pittering of rain on the windows, Amari stood up, "The Hymn of Sorrow. It was sung at Tey's death last month, remember?" Tahno opened his eyes if only for a second, "Not really. My mind's a little foggy from before."

Amari rolled her eyes and pushed Tahno's chair back, causing him to promptly fall onto the floor. "Oh look, I defeated the great Wolfbat, and I'm not even a bender!" she whispered in between a laugh. Tahno got up and with a coy smile he opened his mouth. Yes, he was too old to be doing what he was about to do, but did it matter to him? No.

"No, Tahno, I've told you… That's disgusting!" she said, running to hide behind one of the tables. Tahno twirled his hand upwards, away from his mouth, his saliva floating in midair. "Oh spit-bending how I missed you," he chuckled, talking to the floating fluid. "Tahno!" she cried out.

A sharp sound of thunder caused Tahno to lose focus and his saliva fell right down to the floor. "Amari, it's late. We should both go get some sleep," he suggested, adding a little yawn for emphasis.

"You need it more than me. I know you need your beauty sleep Tahno. Just look at you. You're hideous," she snorted. Tahno rolled his eyes but opened his mouth in retort, bringing his hand back up. "No. Stop. I'm going to scream and wake everyone up. You don't want that," she said as she saw what he was planning to do.

"How long has it been since we fool around like that?" he asked. Tahno could practically feel himself revert to the little boy he had been, finding out that he could control the way his spit moved on the floor. He'd been so marveled. People had called him strange, but he'd figured out the one thing that entertained him more than hearing a pro-bending match.

He'd discovered his talent for waterbending.

"_Remember Tahno. This is a gift or a curse, depends on how you choose to look at it. From what I've heard, everyone thinks you became twice the trouble. But you know why they say that? Because you're a prodigy! Look at you! Discovering a new way of water-bending without even being seven years old!" his father had picked him up and taken him up to the window. "And one day, all of Republic City will know your name, for better or worse. Tahno, Kumak's boy!"_

The pride in his father's voice had been overwhelming. Tahno smiled as he remembered it. How long had it been since he'd shared a moment like that with anyone else? Amari waved goodbye and stepped into her family's room. Tahno walked past it and went into his own, hearing his father snore.

It was a miracle any of their floormates ever slept, considering the loudness of his father's snores, or Kuro's for that matter. Tahno took a good look around the room. He'd grown up in this room, downstairs, and the streets outside.

But… Lately, as he'd gotten to thinking, it was getting too dangerous. People gave him glares whenever they saw him return. Tahno shivered at the thought of being handed over to the equalists. Imagine what cruel horrors would await him!

What Tahno wanted to know, though, was if what they said was true. Could Amon really take away a person's bending, for good? Now, Tahno wasn't stupid enough to want to find out for himself, but it was an interesting point. Surely the healers could fix it, maybe it just had something to do with closing a blood flow, similar to chi-blocking?

"Curse him." Tahno heard it again from his father. He took a step closer. Was the old man okay? "No… Don't take him… He's all I've got… Please…" The sound of lightning crashing with something large woke up Kumak and he looked straight up into his son's eyes.

"I'm sorry, my boy," he said, tears running down his face. For what? Tahno was scared to ask, so he did not. Tahno nodded, patting his father on the back, just like he'd down to him when he'd been young. "Don't go to the championship match, Tahno. I'm begging you," he sobbed.

Not to go? That was ridiculous! "But then all the work up until now will be pointless. And what about Ming and Shaozu? I don't want to disappoint them," Tahno reasoned.

"You are my son. I don't care about them. You have to stay here, stay safe," he choked out. Something was strangely odd about his father. Tahno brought him over a glass of water, which the older one drank rapidly. He then seemed to come to his senses.

"Tahno… It was a horrible dream. It was… horrible, Tahno," he said, dropping his face into his hands. Tahno was slightly curious, but he dared not ask what it was about. A tiny voice in the back of his head told him he would soon find out that his father hadn't been dreaming, but he'd been sent a warning from the spirit world.

His father didn't continue to say anything about the dream, but instead Tahno proceeded to waterbend the rain through the window, creating shapes and animals with it. Kumak smiled, "It seems the rain always comes when I want it to. I can hear the rain on the roof." Tahno nodded and sent the water back outside. He'd have to enjoy himself more often like he had with Amari. It felt nice to relax and let go of the harsh, cold, and superior persona he'd adopted as a pro-bender. _That_ Tahno just felt forced…

"It looks like it'll rain tomorrow too, so when I get back from the championship, I'll try and make the best turtle-duck I can, alright dad?" Tahno asked. Of course, the old man didn't reply, like he usually didn't. He was lost in the world of floating water and imagery.

Little did Tahno know he would never get to please his father with moving water again.

* * *

_Okay, chill! You just uploaded the last chapter! Chillax! I'm sorry to myself XD Before I got to the actual "powerful" point, I wanted to have a chapter of Tahno just… I don't know what the heck he's doing in here actually. Spit-bending for sure though. I like that concept though. Like, why do water tribe people carry around a skin when they have spit. Personally, I'd rather be hit with a bunch of CLEAN but strong water than someone else's spit, even if just a tiny bit. I don't know… My stupid phobias… Anyways, thanks again for your time and patience in my rather… random OOC writings._


	4. No Longer Tahno

The morning of the championship… Tahno looked up from behind his arms to see the sun rising. The possibility of rain crashing down that night was very improbable now. He could see that even the puddles from the night before were gone, most likely a sign of the heat that would be approaching that day.

"Tahno, turn on the radio. I like listening to the Cabbage Corp's songs," his father said. Tahno stood up and walked over to the small table near his father and turned it on. There was no need to flip through the channels; it was always on the same one. "Better, dad?" he asked. Kumak nodded, but said nothing else.

It was always like this on the days of a match. His father was distant, sometimes even just plain cold, like he feared speaking with his son would cause him to get distracted or something of the sort. Tahno opened the window, letting the fresh air roll in, "Anything else before I leave? I'm training at Ming's today and…" Tahno's voice drifted off as he noticed the lack of attention from the older man. Of course… He grabbed the keys to his car and walked outside.

Kumak looked at the door sadly, watching his son leave. Right when he heard the car from outside start, a horrible voice interrupted the beautiful music. Amon… Kumak wasn't exactly up to date as to how much of a danger this man was, but he _threatened_ the Republic City council to close the pro-bending arena. No, he thought. It had only been a dream! His son couldn't go to that match! Kumak forced himself off of his bum and tried to support himself on his one leg, holding onto the table. "Tahno!" he called out through the window. But it was pointless. His son had gone. All he could do now was hope the council did as Amon said, or his son would be in danger.

The mansion that Ming's family owned was around half the size of the pro-bending arena. Ming's father had helped create the radio used all over Republic City and the other regions, so it was no wonder they were able to afford such a large home. Tahno parked his cabbage car a considerable distance from the mansion. It would still be rather humiliating to drive up to such a nice place in a shabby cabbage car, so he'd always walked up to the Ming manor.

"Tahno! We were starting to think you weren't going to show up. It's been all around the papers! You and the firebender from the Fire Weasels were arguing! So many people thought that it would turn into a fight!" Ming said as soon as Tahno found his way into the gym. It was spacious, equipped with the latest technology, and it ran pretty similar to the court in the arena, but it wasn't surrounded by water; just concrete floor. Tahno shook his head, twirling his bangs so that they'd return to their typical wavy style. "I would have shown him a move or two, but I don't bother with trash," he said smugly. Ming knew nothing of his alter personality, and it would stay that way.

It was the only way for him to remain captain of the Wolfbats. Ming respected Tahno's ability to put down so many rivals with just words; if he were to know who the real Tahno was, there would be no chance of that. After all, they weren't friends, just allies.

Apparently, none of the Wolfbats had heard the announcement of the arena being closed, and they heard nothing of the announcement that the tournament had been reinstated to its original time.

After hours of excessive training, Tahno, Shaozu, and Ming fell to the floor exhausted. "Was there any real reason to bother training, boys? We're already too good, and thanks to Ming, we won't lose," Tahno chuckled in between heavy breaths.

"We could always use this chance to improve techniques, Tahno," Shaozu interrupted. Ming waved the firebender's comment away, "Can't improve what's already perfect, Shouza."

"We should plan a big entrance. This will be our fourth win in a row so it has to be better than the others," Tahno suggested, rolling over onto his stomach. The others did the same and they formed a sort of huddle at floor level. "We could always stick to waving at the crowd. Simplicity is always best," Shaozu suggested. "The more extravagant the better, Shouza. That way, our fans and any pitiful fans the Fire Weasels have will be so impressed we'll just knock everyone off their seats and our plays might be overlooked by the audience too," Ming said, trying to ignore Shaozu's comments.

"My name is not Shouza," he muttered half-heartedly. It had been a long time that Ming called him that, and habits were hard to break. Either way, they both looked at Tahno expectantly. Of course, Shaozu expected Tahno to agree with him, since they had a similar mindset and knew each other since kids. But then, Ming had other ideas, and he was the one they were piggy-backing on for this whole tournament. "I think we should go all out, more than before. Make our names known across all the regions. The White Falls Wolfbats will be a name all will know and admire," Tahno said.

Ming smiled in satisfaction and Shaozu shook his head in silent disapproval. "I already had it planned either way, whether or not you agreed. My father's employees have set up fireworks in the stands. They said something about security issues, but from what I hear, father got extra security just in case. We show up as wolfbats, wearing masks and capes, with tons of fireworks going off as we give the call of a wolfbat! Completely amazing, right?" Ming stood up and walked out the doors of the gym, having said all he wanted. Knowing him, he was probably on his way to pamper himself and make sure that his stylists made him look "presentable."

"I pity him. Does he even realize we only team up with him for the money?" Shaozu said, turning onto his back. Tahno shrugged, "Does it matter? He doesn't care as long as he has a team that wins, and that's definitely what we've been doing."

Tahno stood up and looked at himself in the glass walls. "When I'm presenting myself as pro-bender Tahno, I can't recognize myself. And I hope no one will point at me from the stands and say I'm just _Kumak's boy_. That's the reason I hide who I am behind a fake mask," he whispered to himself. Shaozu looked up, "Did you say something?" Tahno shook his head and walked over to the doors of the gym, "In only a few hours, we'll be winning the championship four times in a row."

With that said, Tahno walked out and into another large room that held many accommodations, mainly for Shaozu and himself. Time to put on the mask, he thought. He proceeded to layer his face with tons of cosmetics, outlining his eyes to make them appear a bit more sinister, mysterious, and adding a lighter foundation to his skin. He had no idea where his mother was from, but his father had come from the Foggy Swamp Tribe, and he liked being able to accentuate that fact. He wasn't like other waterbenders; he had different roots, origins.

The three met up in the entrance hall and they all looked at each other, knowing they had won this already. "Let's go boys," Tahno said confidently.

The driver of the luxurious Satomobile that dropped them off at the pro-bending arena pointed out the airships and boats surrounding the arena. "Amon threatened the council to shut it down. Chief Bei Fong is protecting it, so be careful Master Ming," he said. Ming rolled his eyes and pushed the man's face towards the window, "They're all here because father told them to come. Get your facts straight."

They got dressed into their pro-bending uniforms, the roar of the fans already loud enough to be heard from where they were. Tahno took a good look at himself in the mirrors. Unrecognizable. Good.

The wolfbat masks lay on the floor, carefully draped with long capes. Surely Ming had gone to a lot of trouble getting these, most likely way before this day. He had expected to get his way, as he always had when Tahno was around. "Might as well put those on too. I can hear the Fire Weasels being introduced," Ming commanded.

Tahno and Shaozu were obliged to do as he said since they were going to be introduced in…

3… 2… 1…

"The White Falls Wolfbats!"

The three stepped out and took the formation hey had planned on, fireworks sprouting from behind them, to the sides, above… It was a bit overwhelming. Of course, this Tahno showed no fear of it. He pulled off the mask and threw back the cape in the most extravagant way possible, making everyone cheer for them. It was a great sensation to be wanted in the world.

The first round started quickly, with Ming and Shaozu aiming for their respective opponents. Tahno only had eyes for the avatar. They were evenly matched, but the wolfbats hadn't paid off the referees for nothing. The three teamed up to create mixed combinations of moves of their own, which eventually ended up in Tahno shooting a flurry of water at the opposing team's earthbender. A quick glance at the referee and he was sure that it wouldn't be called, although Shiro Shinobi went to a great length just to antagonize his team.

A few more combinations followed and the wolfbats managed to knock the avatar and the firebender off of the ring. Tahno felt proud once more and he turned to rejoice and smile to his adoring fans, but was quickly interrupted by a burning sensation on his back. Korra and Bako hadn't fallen? Great… Tahno glared at the firebender. He would make him pay… But the other responded with a cocky wink! That was it! These Fire Ferrets would be beaten immediately!

The Wolfbats watched as the Ferrets huddled and talked about whatever they were talking about. Exactly why did it matter? There was no way they were going to win either way!

Round two started off fiercely. Tahno was in a pinch, and the old tricks wouldn't play well with the audience. Well, why not just keep using my element, Tahno thought. He sent a stream of water and quickly iced it, making the Ferrets slip. He continued to ice his moves and froze the avatar's heel afterwards. However, despite their efforts to win, the second round ended and the referee threw up the coin. Tahno knew, either way, it would be him and Korra dancing the tie-breaker. She wanted a shot at him, and he definitely wanted to show her up.

The Ferrets chose their element, water (no surprise), and Tahno walked up to the avatar. She really was very attractive with that determined look in her eyes. Maybe he would give her something to be impressed about? But… She was a lady after all, so Tahno did what he believed was best. He was going to allow her the first move. "Come on, hit me with your best shot," he teased. Of course, he didn't expect what he received.

He swayed right and then left to avoid her hits, but eventually got knocked in the face with so much force it sent his helmet flying back. Ignoring the pain, Tahno couldn't help but feel much more humiliated than before. And here he had been, thinking that maybe he could let her have some of his time even after the match. The comment she made after she'd sent him to the ground… It just stung him. _Chump_. Sure, he'd called her many names, mainly behind her back to the other women he entertained, but he was wholly sure she actually meant it.

Ouch…

It was a tie. This was not supposed to happen! Ming signaled Tahno, to which he replied to with a nod. Ming proceeded to break up an earthbending disc and scattered them into the water Tahno was currently bending. That, of course, knocked out the Ferrets, and the three were champions once again. The crowd was cheering and there were mainly shouts of congratulations and happiness. Who would want to see the underdogs win anyways?

The sight of an electric line in the audience sent the hair on the back of Tahno's neck into a fit. Equalists? Had they really gotten into the arena? No… He turned and saw Amon with a large group of masked equalists approach them. No! The Wolfbats tried to desperately put up a fight, but how on earth did the non-benders best three of the best benders in Republic City? The three were kneeled before Amon and Tahno couldn't help but plead at this moment.

Words flew out of his mouth, words he couldn't even remember saying. All he could think about at that moment was his father. _Curse him like me_. A non-bender, a burden, useless. That was what his father had cursed him to be. Tahno tried to fight off the equalists holding him down, but he knew it was all over as soon as Amon touched his forehead.

He didn't really see much after that. He fell to the floor, probably more out of disbelief than anything else. He heard Shaozu's and Ming's pleas as well, but they were in vain as well. They all fell to the floor, completely ashamed and wanting nothing more than to be swallowed into the ground.

The three were pushed off the ring and into the water. Water… Tahno quickly brought up his hands and tried to force the water around him to carry his teammates and he towards the platforms near them. But it didn't respond. "No… No, no, no, no, no… This isn't happening!" he screamed in desperation.

Tahno didn't realize when his mind had dropped into being his subconscious, but when he woke up, he was in one of the hospitals near the pro-bending arena. There were numerous healers around him, working their way around his body with water, trying desperately to see if they could salvage his bending. It was gone. He knew it was. He'd tried it out in the arena right after his team had been knocked into the water. He had lost all hope of ever regaining his bending.

Now what would his father say? Hadn't his own father wished this on him? What would everyone think of him now? The whole world knew him as Tahno the pro-bender! What did he have left? He couldn't fall back on anyone! He was… alone.

Tahno didn't know if it was the shock or the whole emotional trauma of the incident, but he zoned out everything that was going on around him. Nothing mattered anymore… He was no longer himself. He'd never be able to make his father smile, or tease Amari, or play with the children near his home. He'd never get to feel the rush of energy that he got whenever he controlled his native element.

He was no longer Tahno.

Now he was just _Kumak's boy_.

* * *

_I feel sadly evil that I really wanted to write what happened to him. I couldn't capture any feelings in here because I'm horrible at feelings that don't involve... sexual attraction. I'm sorry for my failz. Anyways, thank you for reading, following, and favoriting! Remember, it's you amazing people that make me continue writing. Oh and the whole "it's a two-shot" thing... Completely forgotten. I think I'll just get to the point where he sees Korra in the station and leave it at "To Be Continued" or something? Would you guys like that?_


	5. Leaving Behind the Roots

Everyone knew. Shiro Shinobi had given everyone a pretty good idea of what had happened the night before in the pro-bending arena. Equalists had invaded, and it was all over the news that the Wolfbats' bending had been taken away. Tahno had slept in his cabbage car that night, close to Ming's mansion. He didn't know how his ex-teammates were doing anymore, and frankly, he didn't want to bother finding out. There would be nothing to unite him and Ming. Shaozu would probably still keep in touch with the richer one, seeing as he'd been helping with his family's rent.

And so, the whole night after the incident, Tahno spent in his car, mainly sprawled across the back seat. There was no way Amon had taken his bending right? It must have been something temporary. There was no way anyone could permanently remove bending right? Besides, why on earth would Amon bother with the Wolfbats? Tahno sat up, nodding to himself, a deranged smile spreading across his face, "Yes, that's it. It's impossible. It's only temporary! No one but the avatar can take away people's bending forever, and there's no way Korra would ever do that to me, even if she does… give off a bit of a hostile vibe towards me!"

Tahno pried off his uniform's shirt. He hadn't bothered to take it off when he'd left the hospital, or to even bother with anything else. Why should he? The Tahno that everyone had loved, the _bender_, was now dormant. He refused to accept that it was fully gone. After all, who was Amon to believe he had such a power? There was no way!

The sky was absolutely clear, the moon shining brightly down on the topless pro-bender. Well, ex pro-bender, he thought angrily. Even though his bending _would_ come back, he highly doubted any pro-bending team would want him again; especially with Shiro Shinobi commenting so negatively on their plays. But they had done nothing wrong! The referees had been paid a decent amount! Tahno looked up at the sky. How high would he have to fly to forget the events of last night?

Tahno didn't care that he was attracting attention. Sure, any normal human would look towards him without his shirt had he not been the center of attention the night before as well, but now their looks… pitied him and it drove him to the edge of hell and back.

He wanted to grab their faces and shove them into the ground, to show them that he wasn't completely useless like they most likely thought, to prove to everyone he could still fight! Tahno threw his shirt onto the ground and walked over it to his car. There was no more Wolfbat in this man. There was no more bender in this man. There was no more Tahno.

It was like his father had asked. His father… That was the real culprit. He'd asked for this to happen, and now it had. It was all his fault! Tahno slammed the door of his car and drove as fast as he could to the Dragon Flats borough. He'd have a stern talk with his father, a stern last argument.

There was no way that he was going to be staying with the man who had wished him such a horrible fate. Now they were the same… A burden, useless…

Tahno didn't even bother parking his car where he normally would. He left it right in the middle of the small street and pulled his keys out with such force it ultimately bent it in half. The possibility of the keys working again was extremely low, but that was not on Tahno's mind. His damned father had wished this on him, and now his wish had been conceded. Of course, it not only cost his son's bending, but it would be costing him a son. Tahno wanted nothing to do with that man anymore. He'd probably asked some voodoo doctor or so to curse his son.

The tea shop was full and as soon as Tahno slammed open the door he received looks of pity and sadness. Some people even looked away, but one of them held their gaze. Amari… She still had that look of sadness in them, as though she truly did feel his misery.

Tahno glared at each and every one of them, "Nothing happened damn it! Why can't any of you understand it was all a lie!" He stormed up the stairs and kicked open the door to his apartment.

"Tahno," his father's weak voice called out.

Was he sprawled across the floor? It didn't matter. Tahno was furious, angered, and he didn't care what happened to the old man anymore. Someone else could help him, but there was no way he'd be forgiven. "You brought this on me! I heard you last night! In your dreams you were talking about me!"

"No!"

"You wanted me to be like you! You wanted me to be useless and weak like you! Well guess what, _dad_, it worked! I'm now as useless as you think yourself to be! There will be no more adoring fans, no more people to admire my name, and no one to take care of you! Because that Tahno died last night along with my bending!"

Kumak's eyes widened at hearing the accusations and he broke down into sobs, watching his only son gather items from around the room, "Tahno, I would never wish this on you, my son, believe me. And you're not useless, Tahno! You're still you, just because you don't have your bending doesn't steal who you are! Remember Tahno, no one can make you different than what you truly are inside. Tahno? Tahno!"

The last words were spoken into an empty room. Tahno had gathered a group of his personal belongings and had stormed out, climbing out the window and onto one of the flat roofs of the neighboring houses.

There he placed his treasures and let the tears crawl. They flowed freely, each one a constant reminder he'd never be who he once was. The loss of his bending was the loss of his entire self. Who was he now but a simple non-bender that no one would respect? He went from an all-time high to rock bottom. Who was there left to want to be in his presence anymore?

"What are you doing here?"

Tahno looked up, not caring to hide the tear stains on his cheeks.

"Korra… What do you want, avatar?" he grumbled into his sleeve. The other looked at him with concern and she knelt down beside him. "What are you doing in the Dragon Flats borough? This place is for the poorer non-benders. I would've thought a pro-bending champion like yourself hung out somewhere else," she said. Tahno could sense the underlying tone of sadness. "Should I feel honored, avatar? Should I feel so gracious to be in of your concern?" he shouted at her.

Korra flinched but didn't say anything. "I know you're depressed, Tahno, but…"

"Depressed doesn't begin to describe it Korra! I've been humiliated by Amon in front of everyone in Republic City! My bending, the only thing that ever mattered in my life, was taken away! I've become nothing but a walking corpse, Korra!" he yelled. With each sentence, Tahno felt his anger grow even more and more. She kept her bending! She was the avatar! She could easily give him his bending back right?

Tahno got down onto his knees and touched the ground with his forehead, "I know you can give it back. Please, I'm begging you, please… Give me back my bending."

Korra said nothing but instead placed her hand on the back of his head, "I'm sorry. I can't. I don't know how to."

Didn't know? But she was the avatar! Was Amon really so powerful that not even the avatar could reverse his stupid power? Tahno looked at her in desperation, trying to search her eyes to see if she was lying. But no… He couldn't see any hint of emotion that betrayed her true apologies for not being able to return his whole self to him.

Tahno sat back up and allowed his head to lean on the neighboring wall. She couldn't reverse this.

"Is it permanent, Korra?" he asked. "I heard the Triple Threat Triad got their bending taken away too, and no one's heard of them since. Will I end up like that? Will I? Korra, I don't want to end up forgotten…"

She shook her head and brought it onto Tahno's shoulder, "And if it is? Pro-bending isn't the only way to make yourself known. You could always…" "Always what? There's nothing out there for a non-bender. Only now do I realize that," Tahno interrupted.

The avatar bit her bottom lip. It was true. And she highly doubted Tahno would ever want to go around as a merchant or so. "I'm truly sorry, Tahno. If there was only a way…" Her voice trailed off.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, staring at the sun start to rise above the horizon of buildings. "I've lived here all my life Korra. It's cheap, and my dad couldn't afford much. He was just a simple waterbender that helped generate electricity with the water flow. When I was ten, a Satomobile crushed him, completely ruining his arms and left leg. I had to help out in the tea shop downstairs to make just enough to get the rent paid on time.

"My friend, Shaozu, had only then started listening to the radio. He'd gotten interested in pro-bending so when we were both fourteen, we snuck into the pro-bending arena. We were too poor to pay for tickets and it was hell trying to get past the security. But we eventually managed it… There, we ran into Ming, the son of the great man that invented all the radios used in Republic City. We all managed to meet up a few weeks later, with basic ideas that we'd form a pro-bending team. At first, we only thought of it as a hobby, a game we'd come up with, but after two years, we realized we were good. Really good. Ming's father took it upon himself to sponsor us, and we went on to the pro-bending championships.

"I'm sure you can ask anyone you want for the rest. However, even if we win, I refuse the money. It makes no sense to take money I believed to be easy. How many people would have given so much to be in my shoes… To be a bender. Only now can I understand it all," he said, resting his head on Korra's.

"Why did you tell me all this?" she asked. Tahno's arm slinked around Korra's waist, "Because… I feel like you will trust me more if I tell you this. Besides, everyone knows your story, and I'm sure you're not one to go and gossip about what you just heard."

"Besides, you did ask why I was here," he muttered. Korra took a deep breath, "I have to go train. I… I guess I'll see you around, Tahno."

He nodded and felt her move from beside him, watching her go and disappear beneath the rooftops.

His anger had subsided, and he felt more neutralized than before. But there was no way he would forgive his father for cursing him as he had.

Tahno pulled himself up and stretched his legs for a bit before gathering the items he'd collected from his old home and climbing down the roof. The key to his cabbage car was still in his pocket and he could feel the large dent press against his skin. No one asked why he wasn't wearing a shirt… But he was almost certain that Korra took notice. However, in this certain situation, he really didn't care that his dream girl had just seen his muscular abdomen and he most certainly didn't care about leaving behind the wretched place known as Dragon Fla…

"Tahno, where are you going?"

Amari's voice called from the other side of the street. Tahno paused and threw his belongings into the passenger seat. "I'm leaving. There's nothing for me here anymore."

A pained look crossed Amari's face. "Not even me, Tahno? But… But now we're the same. You and I… We have no differences separating us anymore. We're _equal_, Tahno," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. Equal…

"You're an equalist, aren't you Amari?" he hissed. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "Just because I believe in Amon's words doesn't mean I…" "You're with the man who brought me down! You're no better than any of them! Damn you to an eternal suffering, Amari. I hope you suffer as much as I am right now!" he shouted.

With that said, Tahno pushed her out of the way and got into his car, locking the door. Amari banged at the window, but Tahno just looked for a way to set the key back to how it had been before. After a while of struggling with the key, he bent it back into its original shape. "I can still bend things… My bending isn't gone yet…" he comforted himself weakly.

The car moved back, with Amari still pounding the window, the tears Tahno had shed before were now streaming down her face. He glared at her and took a good last look at the place he'd called home for the past twenty one years and pressed down on the pedal, accelerating to a new beginning.

* * *

_One more chapter guys! I think... Anyways, I tried to incorporate more of what I believe Tahno would be feeling during all this. Overall, this chapter does make Tahno seem like a jerk, but really, the poor guy's depressed and just lost the one thing he felt was _him_. There's just one more chapter (I'd like to believe) in which some things will be resolved, and others not so much. I _do_ intend to leave Tahno's relationships with Amari and his father as such though... Unsolved things are a specialty of Bryan and Mike either way, aren't they? Anyways, thank you for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting. See you soon!_


	6. Get Him For Me

What was there left?

He'd abandoned his only family, his home, his childhood friends, and he'd lost the one thing he never thought he'd lose: his bending. No one understood what he was going through. He didn't want to see his old teammates, who probably felt the same. He'd just be reminded of what once was, of what never could be again.

The cabbage car ran out of gasoline and left him stranded in front of a shabby and rundown house. A healer? Tahno jumped out of his car and ran up the stairs, pushing open the rather weak front door.

"Is that Tahno?" "The pro-bender?" "No, he's an ex pro-bender now, isn't he?"

Tahno was met with a multitude of whispers and it drove him insane. There was nothing he could do to make them understand that the more they spoke of him, the more he wanted to just… die.

He eyed the lady that was getting everyone in order. _The city's best healer_… That was what this person claimed to be. Tahno looked at the woman straight in the eyes and she returned his glare with a smile, "I knew you were bound to show up. I heard what happened." Tahno looked around and walked over to a separate room with the strange woman. "Just lie down on the cot," she said, rummaging through a couple of pots.

Tahno did as he was told. How strange, he thought it, that she would quickly attend him when there were many others that had been waiting before him. Maybe it was just his fame? Or maybe the woman knew that she could "fix" him? Tahno gulped and pulled himself up onto the cot. She brought up her hands over his naked torso and he saw as she moved her hands rhythmically along his arms, his chest, his belly… He didn't feel any different as she did this process, but he noticed her brows getting even closer and closer as if in anger.

A rather large amount of time passed by and she pulled away, distraught, "I don't understand. I thought I'd manage to cure you. I thought my abilities were better than this… I'm so so…" Tahno didn't hear her last words to him. He'd already stormed off and walked outside.

With his cabbage car completely useless at the moment, Tahno proceeded to walking down the streets and going into the most well-known hospital in Republic City. The same thing happened as with the other woman. No one could heal him, no one could undo Amon's horror. Tahno stormed out of the hospital in a couple hours, deciding it was completely hopeless. He was met at the entrance by two metalbending officers who quickly grabbed hold of his arms.

"What do you want? Let go of me!" he said, pulling away from them, "I can't get rid of you even if I wanted to anymore!" They both looked at each other and looked at him with pity.

"Chief Bei Fong wants all witnesses to give their testimonies of what happened in the pro-bending arena," the one on the left replied. Tahno's upper lip curled, "And I'm a prime source. Well, you're lucky you found me now. I was about to go leave the city, probably go have some fun with…" He was cut short by the officers who promptly turned their backs on him and walked towards the car, holding the door open.

Tahno wasn't used to riding in the back of a patrol car. He felt like a criminal. But he wasn't one, and would never have the opportunity to be one anymore anyways. He was driven towards the police headquarters and dropped off, where he proceeded to speak to the secretary at the front desk. She looked at him curiously and signaled for him to go into one of the closets. "I'd recommend putting on a shirt or something of the sort, sir," she whispered. Tahno looked down at himself and nodded, pulling off a random shirt and jacket from the hooks.

She smiled at him, which propelled Tahno to move towards one of the benches, away from her cheeriness. He felt miserable, and he was more than sure that he looked miserable as well. Tahno took a deep breath and hunched down towards his knees, looking at his reflection in the stone floor.

He really did look pitiful. His hair was in complete disarray and his face looked more like Tahno than "that Tahno." Maybe no one would recognize him like this and he'd be able to escape everyone's notice. It was a foolish hope.

Who knew how much time passed until another officer informed him that they were interrogating Hiroshi Sato. That poor man… Tahno had read the papers on what had happened to the man's wife. Wasn't his daughter dating that one Fire Ferret? That must've gone over well with daddy… A bender and the non-bending daughter of a deceased non-bender whose non-bending mother had been killed by the very element her boyfriend now… Tahno shook away the thought, his mind completely boggled at his strange thought.

Tahno sighed and looked around the police station. There were a few other people, but none were like him. None of them had had their bending taken, or had abandoned their family and who they'd thought of as friends. None of them would ever understand…

A little bit later, he heard footsteps and he swore he could recognize the familiar pattern of the boots. He proceeded to look up at the boots' owner. Korra. "Hi Korra," he said, speaking more to the ground than to anything else. Of all the people, he just had to see her.

"Tahno?" she asked in surprise.

He looked up at her and back down, a little embarrassed now that she could see him, and see the failure he'd become. He'd gone from heights that were unimaginable to most everyone, to rock bottom he'd never imagined. He started regretting bringing her attention to himself.

After all, who was he _now_ to deserve the great and mighty avatar's attention?

"Listen, I know we're not exactly best friends," she said, "But I'm sorry Amon took your bending."

She said it with so much sincerity, he almost believed her. Sorry? Tahno took a deep breath and responded to her rather hesitantly, "I've been to the best healers in the city." He had, but that wouldn't mean he'd give up. He'd go to some other healers, anyone who might have a solution to his current horrors.

Tahno looked up at her and murmured, "Whatever Amon did to me, it's permanent." The fact that there was still a slight possibility, no matter how small, that it was repairable seemed to constantly bite at his mind. Tahno turned away trying to think of something else to say. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Korra do the same. Perhaps she was disgusted by what he had become? How far he'd fallen? Tahno took a deep breath and looked back at Korra, "You've got to get him for me." Korra looked at him momentarily, and nodded. Tahno looked away as soon as he heard a voice, feeling a little embarrassed.

Even if she was the avatar, she was still young and unprepared right? That was what the newspapers had said. What was the actual possibility of ever seeing her again either? Tahno looked up as soon as he heard Tenzin's voice. Ready? For what? For him to tell them what they already knew? That there was absolutely no way he'd ever regain what he had?

Tahno stood up slowly and brought his hand up in a salute. Despite the fact that every possibility was slim, Tahno hoped he would see Korra again. Even if his bending was gone, she was around and that was all he needed, right? Just _the_ girl…

Tahno was about to leave it at that, but to show her that he wasn't an absolute wreck he smiled and threw out a farewell, "See you 'round, uh-vatar."

He shuffled miserably after Tenzin and Chief Bei Fong.

He knew he would see her again, he knew he would see Korra.

_No! Why is it so short? This is the end? What a disappointment! Um… It's not the last chapter because I have an irrational fear of odd numbers. That and if I just end it here, the summary is completely off and I'd rather write another complete chapter than change the summary. Weird? Weird. Anyways, sorry for the late update. I was travelling, and then school started and all hell broke loose. I will update this sooner (I hope). Thank you for reading and reviewing!_


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